Qualified Critical Care Paramedic

Operating 24/7 on a single response vehicle as part of a regional Critical Care team, the CCP practices with an extended scope and formulary providing an enhanced clinical service supporting the care to the most acutely ill and injured patients. The CCP provides clinical leadership in an operational environment and supports the supervision of clinical staff. The CCP also works on the Critical Care Desk within the Emergency Operations Centre supporting the dispatch of enhanced care resources and provision of remote clinical advice., The primary role of a Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) is to provide an enhanced clinical service supporting the care to the most acutely ill and injured patients, alongside other professional roles and agencies, in order to promote improved outcomes and patient experience.

To practice with an extended scope of clinical practice and formulary, assess and manage high acuity undifferentiated patients in the pre-hospital environment.

To lead and support clinical decision making both in an operational environment and where necessary remotely.

To provide clinical leadership in an operational environment and support supervision and mentoring of clinical staff.

To support clinical education and training activity as a subject matter expert.

To work on the Critical Care Desk within the Emergency Operations Centre supporting the dispatch of enhanced care resources and provision of remote clinical advice., + Undertake the full range of operational Critical Care Paramedic duties as a solo responder or part of a team.

• To work as a team member, under appropriate supervision, to deliver critical care treatment in a variety of situations.

• To collect, analyse and utilise patient information from the patient’s history, physical examination, laboratory, and radiographic and other diagnostic data and identify relevant problems.

• Undertake other additional clinical skills under supervision and direction, which have been formally agreed by the Trusts Medical Directorate.

• Perform clinical duties in accordance with national clinical practice guidelines, Critical Care Clinical Practice Guidelines and Trust guidelines.

• To administer medications under Trust and National guidance, within the appropriate legislative framework including patient group directions (PGDs).

• As appropriate, assess, treat, refer or discharge patients who access the health service but who do not need hospital admission where clinically safe to do so.

• Responsible as an autonomous practitioner using local care pathways as required.

• Ensure that consent is obtained before undertaking assessment treatment or intervention.

• To carry and store medications in accordance with National Guidelines, Trust Policy and patient group directions (PGDs).

• Ensure the prompt, legible and accurate completion of all patient and incident records, providing a full and accurate record of decision making in accordance with the Caldicott principles, current legislation and regulatory framework.

• Ensure the sharing of information is always done in compliance with information governance procedures.

• Make reasoned decisions regarding initiating, modifying or ceasing treatment or procedures and ensuring accurate documentation of decisions. Being accountable and responsible for clinical decisions made during the course of duty, and seek senior clinical advice where appropriate.

• Demonstrate the ability to communicate complicated information when dealing with complex patients and their subsequent care ensuring that this is appropriately passed to relevant parties.

• Effectively communicate sensitive information when dealing with clinical incidents. An example of this is when handing over patients to another healthcare professional or making a safeguarding referral.

• Drive all relevant vehicle types operated by the Service in accordance with the emergency vehicle driver training standards and the Highway Code and relevant legislation

• Conduct vehicle and equipment checks in line with Trust policies and procedures ensuring that it is safe and fully serviceable, reporting all defects, deficiencies and accident damage in accordance with the Trust’s service procedures.

• Maintain appropriate standards of cleanliness of vehicles and equipment and those parts of the station specified by the local management team.

• Ensure the safe transfer of patients, to and from vehicles, following health and safety and other appropriate procedures, taking account of the safety of patients, self, colleagues and others, using appropriate equipment and manual handling techniques.

· Undertake shifts on the Critical Care Desk undertaking the full range of duties:

• Undertake training and maintain currency in the use of Trust command and control systems (Computer Aided Dispatch system, telephony, radio system). Requires the use of visual display equipment for prolonged periods.

• Review incoming 999 calls, undertaking call interrogation where necessary using telephone or video, to identify the need for a critical care resource.

• Utilise communication equipment to speak with CCPs, other ambulance clinicians and patients.

• As a senior clinician provide remote clinical advice to all grades of clinical staff supporting shared decision making.

• Provide support to the Trust dispatch function by interrogating calls and identifying appropriate resourcing.

• Provide support to the Trust dispatch function and support patient safety by reviewing high acuity calls, risk assessing and prioritising for resource allocation.

• Maintain appropriate records where decisions are made, or advice is given.

Management/Leadership

• Provide clinical leadership in an operational environment.

• Ability to organise and manage the scene of a complex incident during initial stages until a Manager / Commander arrives. This could involve organising or managing patients, bystanders or other responding services.

• Supervise and mentor designated staff and students, taking appropriate action when performance falls below expected standard.

• Use appropriate knowledge and skills when working with or mentoring students and new staff to ensure they are competent in undertaking clinical procedures and utilising appropriate equipment.

• Identify safeguarding concerns and ensure these are reported and documented in an appropriate manner and are escalated and followed up as appropriate.

• Facilitate debriefing following challenging cases.

• To liaise with and effectively communicate with the local clinical partners and networks.

• To participate in the critical reviews of audits, complaints, compliments and clinical/non clinical incidents with a view to improving patient care, supporting learning from incidents.

Education

• To undertake all necessary elements of training and education required for the role.

• To undertake all necessary assessment elements required for the role.

• To be responsible for ensuring compliance with statutory and mandatory training and undertake CPD to maintain fitness to practice and adherence to the regulatory body Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) standards.

• Attend supervision and appraisal sessions with line manager and appropriate others, as required.

• Support teaching activity as a subject matter expert within local Operating Units and in formal teaching environments.

Quality Improvement

• Support development of the CCP role.

• Participate in Trust clinical audit and effectiveness processes as required including evaluation of clinical procedures, processes and instructions to ensure the highest standards of service are achieved in the interest of patient care. Where appropriate, make proposals for change to own working practices and policies within own working area.

• To participate in research activity as required to promote and develop the critical care agenda.

• To assist in the development and review of clinical guidelines and PGDs within the trust.

Please note that the salary range noted on the vacancy is in line with agenda for change (AFC) pay scales. All successful applicants would be placed automatically at the bottom of the banding, unless proven, relevant NHS or equivalent experience can be demonstrated.

Following the revision of current national legislation (Vaccine as a Condition of Deployment), the Trust has reviewed our requirements relating to staff uptake of the SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) vaccination.

Going forward, for patient facing positions, we strongly recommend that new starters will be appropriately vaccinated unless medically exempt in order to offer greater protection against exposure to the virus for front line staff.

In line with this recommendation, if you are successful in your application for a front line post, we will seek information from you in relation to your vaccine status, including exemption status, as applicable.

Please note, all positions come with a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check relevant to the post. This will either be a basic, standard, or enhanced check depending on the role. The level of check will be outlined in the conditional offer letter sent to successful applicants.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to declare any unspent/unfiltered convictions. If you are shortlisted you will then be sent a self declaration form, which must be completed prior to attending interview. for any queries relating to declarations, please contact the Recruitment Advisor listed on the vacancy.

The Trust is passionately committed to being an inclusive employer – a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed. As an employer we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement networks, facilities and services to support staff from different backgrounds.

We actively support equality of opportunity for all our staff and welcome applications from individuals regardless of age, any disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief. The Trust is making progress towards its aim of becoming more reflective of the diversity of our community in our workforce and guarantees an interview to candidates with disability who meet the essential criteria specified. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and disabled applicants and those from other under-represented groups.

The Equality Act 2010 protects disabled people – including those with long term health conditions, learning disabilities and hidden disabilities such as dyslexia. If you tell us that you have a disability we can make reasonable adjustments to ensure that any selection processes – including the interview – are fair and equitable.

We are a committed to offering opportunities to individuals with disabilities and offer on-going support, should you be successful, with any adjustments you may need when performing your role.

When completing the application please use your name as it appears on your passport and please ensure you include email addresses and contact numbers for your referees to avoid delay in the recruitment process.

Please note that under our Trust policies, we’re unable to employ anyone under the age of 18 years old.

The majority of our roles will include some travel between sites for business purposes. If the vacancy you’re applying for includes work related travel, you will be required to ensure that you hold and have covered the cost of suitable car insurance to support this.

Should you require an application form in an alternative format including large print or braille, please contact [email protected] stating the vacancy reference number and we will be happy to provide this.

When completing the reference section, please include details to cover the last three years’ history.

Due to the high volume of applications at SECAmb, we regret that we will only be able to contact those applicants who are shortlisted for interview. If you have not heard from us within 10 working days of the closing date, then please assume you have not been shortlisted for interview on this particular occasion.

Please note that we contact all applicants via Trac Jobs and would advise you check your Trac Jobs account regularly.

Please be aware that the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient applications are received. For this reason we recommend completing your application as early as possible.

Follow our recruitment on Twitter @SECAmbRecruit and check out our Facebook page – SECAmb NHS Recruitment. You can also find us on Linkedin under South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

Applicants must be paramedics registered with the HCPC. Applicants will be required to hold a minimum of a PgCert in a relevant clinical subject, with a willingness to work towards an MSc if not already held. Applicants will require evidence of specialty training and education, and operational experience as a Critical Care Paramedic within the UK pre-hospital environment (NHS or on behalf of the NHS in service of 999 patients).

This is a competitive process and applicants must demonstrate that they meet all of the essential criteria in the person specification (listed below)., There are vacancies at numerous locations in Kent at Thanet (Ramsgate), Ashford and Dartford, and in East Sussex at Hastings. CCD shifts are undertaken at our EOCs at either Crawley or Gillingham. Once offered a position, successful candidates will not be able to transfer for the initial 12 months.

Less than full time or flexible working applications will be considered and can be discussed on an individual basis.

Assessment Date 02.03.25